393 - (Grayson Hall) - A seance has been held in the great house of Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces-where she finds the ancestors of her friends involved in a tragedy which is still being played out at Collinwood today.
Drawing room - Joshua talks Andre out of returning to Martinique--Jeremiah left Josette plenty. Josette and Naomi burst in and tell the two skeptical men about seeing the hand thrusting through the earth of Jeremiah's grave. Joshua is sure Naomi's been dipping too heavily into the sherry again and Andre figures Josette's at the end of her rope, emotionally, and encourages her to go to bed. He goes with her because she's afraid to be alone--Jeremiah is going to come looking for her!
Naomi and Joshua argue about the incident after Josette and Andre head upstairs. She says witchcraft isn't responsible, and he insists that perhaps the bottle of sherry is more effective. Joshua suggests perhaps it was graverobbers, refusing to believe Naomi and Josette saw what they claim to have seen. Naomi gazes out the window and sees the bloody, eyeball-hanging, bandaged visage of Jeremiah staring back at her. When Joshua goes to look, however, the figure is gone.
Later, Natalie assures Naomi she believes she saw what she says she saw. They agree there is an evil force at work, and ponder who it could be. Not Vicki, insists, Naomi. The warlock could be Joshua, suggests Natalie. Nat asks Naomi if she's wondered about her, Countess duPres, and Naomi admits, yes, she did, but never came to a definite conclusion. Andre? Never. Naomi suggests Angelique. Well, says Nat, it would make her more interesting, but she's known her since she was an uninteresting child, and doubts she's the one. (countess, you know zilch!) The victims, Barnabas or Josette, who earned no pain but got so much of it? They must find Vicki, Nat says. For whatever reason she disappeared, they must find her.
Natalie goes up to relieve Andre on Josette-Watch, but they both leave her alone for a moment, and Jeremiah, speaking in a creepy voice, appears and orders her to come with him--she is his wife, he needs her! No! cries Josette, you're dead! He shambles threateningly toward her, and Josette screams. Natalie comes racing in, but the apparition has disappeared. At dawn, Josette awakens, wondering if it was all a dream. She fears she is losing her mind. Natalie encourages her to get more sleep. Angelique enters with coffee and asks Natalie if she can stay with Josette. Natalie orders Angelique not to leave Josette alone, and expresses relief they're moving to the new house soon.
Angelique packs Josette's clothes for the move and they chat. Josette ruefully recalls the flower Ang pinned to her wedding gown--it sure didn't bring much luck, did it? Josette wishes they could return to Martinique, and is surprised when Angelique shows no enthusiasm for this idea. Angelique reveals she is staying in Collinsport. Josette prods her. No, not another employer, says Ang, but Barnabas really should tell Josette. Josette gets snippy and demands to know what Angelique is talking about. Angelique tells her that Barnabas asked her to marry him--she loves him very much. Josette tearfully tells Angelique to stop packing her clothes; she needn't care for her anymore. She hopes with all her heart that Angelique will make Barnabas happy, says Josette, barely able to get the words out. (Sad scene. I think Josette was hoping that she and Barn would find their way back to each other, and this dashes her hopes to hell.)
At Collinwood, Joshua berates his wife for the poor planning of the move, despite the short notice--what will Andre think? The Countess comes in (was that a giant muff she was carrying?) and tells Joshua how lucky he is to have a wife like Naomi--the move went so smoothly! She approves of the house, but says the color scheme is something she could visit, but not live with (the interplay between Nat and Josh is really funny).
Naomi has assigned the room that was supposed to be Jeremiah's to Natalie, but neither Naomi, Nat nor Angelique can work the key in the lock and get into the room. Then they hear someone walking around inside. Sure it's Miss Winters hiding in there, Natalie tries the doorknob and demands that she let her in. The door is locked from the inside! Then they hear crazed male laughter. Naomi runs for Joshua, Ang smiles and Natalie backs fearfully away from the door, trembling.
NOTES: Who's in the room, Jeremiah? What new mischief does Angelique expect him to perform on her behalf?
394 - (Clarice Blackburn) - A seance has been held in the great house of Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. In an attempt to rid themselves of the tragedy and terror that have plagued them, the family has abandoned the old mansion and moved into the great house above Widows' Hill-but they are soon to learn that the evil force that pervaded the old house has already gained a foothold in the new house.
This ep contained one of my very favorite "gems," and I really enjoyed it.
Andre meets Angelique outside the door of the Countess' intended room and she relates what has been going on. Andre thinks it's all bunk, as usual, and is about to find some way to force open the locked door when the knob turns and it swings open by itself. They enter to find the room completely trashed, bloody sheets hanging helter skelter around the bed. When Angelique brings up the idea it could be Jeremiah's ghost, who has been seen by others this night, Andre admits reluctantly the supernatural could be the only reason for this. Abigail enters the room and surveys the carnage with a gasp. She insults Andre by saying that the arrival of the duPres' and Miss Winters wasn't a coincidence, and she feels the duPres family brought the devil into their lives. Andre, furious, says he's going straight to Joshua. He calls Abigail a lonely, fanatical woman and says it's both a pity and a blessing she wasn't born in France. GOOOOO, Andre! Then Abigail turns her wrath on Angelique, who has been standing quietly by, and accuses her of trickery. Angelique is scared by this accusation, and it's ironic that Abigail is so accurate in accusing the blonde of being in league with the devil, too. Abigail believes Angelique tricked Barnabas into marrying her, and even suggests she made Sarah ill, then cured her, to take advantage of Barnabas and force him to marry her. She demands to know what other powers Angelique possesses, questions her about her mother (a simple woman, maintains Angelique), and suggests she can take health away (in the case of both Barnabas and Sarah) as well as cure it. Angelique vehemently denies these accusations, but does put Abigail on a different scent by telling her MISS WINTERS was in the room when Sarah fell ill, while she, Angelique, was not. Abigail swears Angelique will never marry Barnabas, because whether she's a witch or a fortunehunter, she will not make Barnabas a suitable wife. After Abigail leaves, Angelique calls for Jeremiah to appear, and when he does, tells him she has one more task for him to do.
In one of my very favorite scenes on 1795, Nathan comes to visit Barnabas, reminds him of their friendship and tells him he heard that Barnabas was going to marry Angelique! He's shocked at this news. Barnabas tells him he knows his father and Abigail are against the marriage and hopes Nathan isn't, too. Is it because you have no choice? asks Nathan delicately, and Barnabas says, in a way. Then Nathan lays it on the line--is he marrying Angelique because her honor is at stake? Barnabas, amused, says no, that isn't it (although he could have impregnated Angelique in Martinique). Nathan asks Barn if he loves her, and Barnabas says, evasively, "I love her enough." Then Nathan says that some folks were hoping he and Josette would rediscover each other. Barnabas becomes angry. "Never!" he says. He thanks Nathan for his concern, and Nathan wishes Barnabas happiness with Angelique. After Nathan leaves, Barnabas sits down, looking exhausted and discouraged. To his horror, Jeremiah's ghost appears to him and warns him that he, his murderer, had better not marry Josette, or he will haunt them for the rest of their lives! Barnabas tries to assure the apparition that he's marrying Angelique, but Jeremiah knows Barnabas still covets Josette, and he'd better remember his warning. . .
Angelique rushes in after Jeremiah's ghost disappears, and tells him that Abigail is being mean to her, threatening to stop their wedding, accusing her of making Sarah ill to get him to marry her (IT'S THE TRUTH, BARN, LISTEN TO YOUR AUNT)! Angelique wants to get married immediately, she feels if they give Abigail more time, she will prevent their marrying. Barnabas considers it, and she keeps at him about his abusive family. He tells her he's had a trying day, too, and describes Jeremiah's terrifying visit. Angelique apologizes for what Barnabas went through (his visitor was a ghost, Abigail is just bitchy flesh and blood). This will keep happening to them, she wails, unless they get married now, tonight. Barnabas agrees, but says they won't elope. He'll talk to his father. Angelique says, "Thank you for being so good to me," and hugs him, smiling radiantly. She's won! Or so she thinks!
NOTES: Great episode on so many levels!
Love, Robin
